But he was elected in order to ruin Cicero, and Caesar
did not set out for his province till with the aid of Clodius he had
put down Cicero by his cabals and driven him out of Italy.
XV. Such is said to have been the course of Caesar's life before his
Gallic campaigns.[478] But the period of his wars which he afterwards
fought and his expedition by which he subdued Gaul, is just like a new
beginning in his career and the commencement of a new course of life
and action, in which he showed himself as a soldier and a general
inferior to none who have gained admiration as leaders and been the
greatest men: for whether we compare Caesar's exploits with those of
the Fabii, Scipios, and Metelli, or with those of his contemporaries
or immediate predecessors, Sulla and Marius and both the Luculli or
even Pompeius himself, whose fame, high as the heavens, was blossoming
at that time in every kind of military virtue, Caesar will be found to
surpass them all--his superiority over one appearing in the
difficulties of the country in which he carried on his campaigns, over
another in the extent of country subdued, over a third in the number
and courage of the enemy whom he defeated, over another again in the
savage manners and treacherous character of the nations that he
brought to civility, over a fourth in his clemency and mildness to the
conquered, over another again in his donations and liberality to his
soldiers; and in fine his superiority over all other generals appears
by the numbers of battles that he fought and of enemies that he slew.
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